Category Archives: Blogs

Government math takes on many forms. I think it’s the basis for Common Core math. In Common Core, 2 plus 2 plus 2 doesn’t always equal 6. Just like 18% of employable people in the U.S. equals a 5.9% unemployment rate.

The 5.9 %number is usually arrived at by simply looking at how many Americans file for unemployment every week, both new and continuing claims. You hear about the numbers of people dropping off the rolls but you never hear why. The assumption is that they found a job.

Do you ever hear them report about the number of people who drop off the unemployment rolls because they ran out of time? Or the ones who got discouraged and gave up looking because they couldn’t find employment. What about the ones who switch to disability because they are now having physical and mental issues as a result of their job search? (Insert crickets sound here.)

Most economists use another set of numbers that the government Bureau of Labor Statistics calls “U-6.” It defines the “total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of all civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers.”

This number takes into account, by that definition, the underemployed, discouraged, and unemployed workers. This number actually did fall for the first time below 12% to 11.8%. Hey, don’t get too excited yet.

Remember, just before the election period in 2012, we were told unemployment was down. Many government math “adjustments” were made to the unemployment numbers all summer leading up to the November 2012 election. But fudging the numbers shouldn’t be a big surprise. I mean, look at the other “adjustments” that were made : Benghazi was “not” another 9/11 anniversary attack, the Obamacare rollout debacle was really just a few “minor” glitches, much like that whole “keeping your doctor” thing.

Now, back to government math. In September, the unemployment rate dropped by 0.2% to 5.9%. The number of people unemployed dropped by about 329,000 to 9.3 million.
Read more at THE REAL SIDE

Al Franken’s conservative opponent Mike McFadden is closing in the polls as he makes the rounds of rural Minnesota. McFadden met with a small but enthusiastic crowd in Rochester to talk about health care Friday. The opponents met for a debate in Duluth on Wednesday. You can see the full debate on You Tube here.

The latest polling from Real Clear politics has McFadden closing within 8-9 points on the incumbent Franken. In 2008 Franken trailed his opponent Norm Coleman but about the same amount but won by a slim margin of 312 votes after a long legal wrangle and vote recounts.

At the time of this writing Marine Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi will have been in jail six full months… 180 days. A soldier, in the United States Marine Corps. His crime? Accidently making a wrong turn into Mexico, our friends, our neighbors to the South. Yes, they claim to be our friends.

Sgt. Tahmooressi was in San Diego to get the medical treatment he needed for combat-related PTSD, among other things. He had parked on the American side while joining friends for a few drinks. Not being very familiar with the border area, he chose the wrong lane in which to turn around. When he realized his mistake he immediately told the guard what had happened and he was simply looking to get back to the US. He also immediately disclosed that he had guns in the back of the pickup, legally owned in the U.S. The guard understood the mistake called for an escort car to take the Sergeant back across the border. However, an overzealous Mexican military official decided he was not going to let this injustice happen!

He was not going to let that arrogant American soldier who dared to bring guns into Mexico get away with it and he was going to administer justice.

Is that the same military that fires on American border patrols when they are close to the Mexican border but still on the American side? YES! The same Mexican military known for taking bribes from the cartels to allow tonnage of drugs to be smuggled over the border in America? YES! Could this be the same Mexican military that can’t seem to see the tens of thousands of illegal immigrants passing through Mexico on the tops of buses and trains? The same illegals they used to shoot and abuse in times past when they crossed the southern border into Mexico with the intent of staying in Mexico, but since they are continuing on to the U.S. they are ushered along without incident? YES! The same! But they can’t seem to find an ounce of humanity towards Marine Sergeant Tahmooressi.

The Mexican government and especially their president, who decries the inhumane U.S. treatment of his people, who incidentally are running away from him because of his corrupt government’s inhumane treatment of them, are hypocrites. He is appalled that we didn’t set up water facilities in the desert for his people as they break our laws. He was upset because we deport his people who intentionally break our laws. We jail them for repeatedly breaking the law when they get past the border patrol. He wants us to welcome them in with open arms and without exception or background check. Hmmm, I’m surprised the United States of Obama hasn’t issued them weapons yet.

The Mexican president can’t even, in a gesture of good will to show how “open armed” he is, push along the Sergeant’s legal process and make sure he is safe. Maybe we should treat the Illegals coming over the border the same way they are treating the Sergeant. Let’s capture them, put them in a hot, non-air-conditioned tent or room, have them stripped down, chain them to their beds for four days with little food and water, and should they need medical treatment, deny it. That must be what he means by humane treatment because that’s how he’s treating Sgt. Tahmooressi. He couldn’t complain if we treated his law-breaking citizens illegally entering our country the same way, right?
Read more at The Real Side

A frequent guest on my show is Major General Paul Vallely (ret). He usually discusses his wonderment at the silence of the “Big Brass” in the military that don’t agree with this administration’s “game plan,” or lack thereof, as it pertains to the Middle East and ISIS. I knew it wouldn’t be long before the men and women of the military with their high standards and moral values would eventually start to spew.

Unlike the henchmen of Hitler who followed orders fearing for their lives or simply for the glory of their motherland, most of our military troops fight because they believe in what this country stands for. They love this country and they want it’s citizens to be free and they want this country to be seen as the great bastion of freedom that it was and will become again.

Ultimately, our military is loyal to the country, not to the Commander in Chief. They know how to follow orders. They have been trained that they are part of a bigger picture and not to question, just do. But there’s an integrity alarm that starts to go off in their heads when someone who has never even played a game of Battleship starts to dictate war games and strategy.

Let me step back. In the “real world,” CEO’s are not CFO’s and they are not COO’s. Plumbers are not carpenters; electricians are not sheet metal workers. Why? Because you can’t know everything with the level of competency needed to be effective and succeed. You have to take what your managers tell you and go with it. You trusted them enough to hire them; now let them do their job. Everyone has their area of expertise because of their experience and, in a lot of cases, because of their natural ability in that area.

As of a few months ago, military experts were backing their Commander in Chief. They were following orders. But when they see orders being handed down as a death sentence for the people we are supposed to be protecting and for our men and women in uniform, as they see the continued practice of their Commander in Chief disregarding the advice and recommendations of his experts, they can’t take it.

Mr. Obama fancies himself as infallible. Maybe he believed those fools at MSNBC when they called him America’s messiah. But it was only a matter of time. There are cracks in the Obama Dam, and his military experts will turn on him.

As Mr. Obama keeps telling everyone, “there will be no American boots on the ground” and “I won’t put our men and women of the military in harm’s way.” His generals are starting to have the kind of heartburn that makes you get out of bed and do something about it.
Read more at The Real Side

Now, I have heard it all! CBS Sports banned a commercial with a little girl reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The ad promoted something very American, “The Rodeo,” around September 11th. The little girl in the commercial was the granddaughter of the owner of the company running the ad. He though it was a really cool idea.

Well, the PC police at CBS Sports had other ideas. At first I thought “here we go again.” It has the words “under God” and we don’t want to offend the 20% of the country who doesn’t believe in God and we certainly don’t want them to feel left out. But that wasn’t the problem. Then I thought they must have been tight on time and a 15-second Pledge would have caused them to have to bump one of those commercials with a hamburger-eating, sauce-dripping, car-washing, bikini-clad woman who uses the top part of her bikini to wipe off the BBQ sauce. Nope. That wasn’t what happened either. OK, then WHAT?

The knuckleheads at CBS Sports decided that it was too political. Yup, the Pledge of Allegiance is too political. They won’t return any news organization’s phone calls. They’re CBS. Why should they?

This is just another example of an ungrateful company not understanding what the Pledge actually means!

For those of you who may need a refresher, the Pledge simply means that as Americans we will stand up for the American way of life, it’s freedoms and it’s opportunities and it’s liberties. Hey CBS! Those are the same ones that you used to build your companies! The American tax laws that you take advantage of and the security you feel, in most cases, going to other countries knowing that, as Americans, your company and employees have the United States of America’s resources to protect you!

Unlike some of those 3rd world nations who dictate what news gets broadcast and when and who you hire and fire and if they decide you’re not so good at it they simply take it away from you, you have freedoms here. Go ahead and try to appeal to that 3rd world country’s supreme court. That’d be a joke!

How would you like it if our military refused to take the Pledge and only fought if and when they felt like it and for whatever cause they felt was worthy? With no allegiance to a country, there’s no real reason to fight or uphold its laws.

CBS Sports you are an embarrassment. You have spit in the face of many that came before us to fight and died protecting what the flag and the Pledge represents.

This madness is happening all around the country. I can count no less than 5 recent stories on City Councils that refused to say the Pledge because “there wasn’t enough time.” And even more stories on school districts that have decided reciting the Pledge “once in a while” is good enough.

And what the heck is political about the Pledge? Does it only apply to Republicans? Or only Democrats? Maybe just the decline-to-state or Libertarian or Green Party? I know the Communist Socialist Democrat Party of America finds it offensive. Who cares! If you don’t like it, shut up and sit down because that’s the freedom afforded you the Pledge and by those who came before you who fought and died for your right to disagree without being taken out back and being beheaded.

Depending on the sound clip you find, you will hear Mr. Obama say, “I will have the most transparent administration this country has ever seen” and “transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstone of this administration.” (Insert cricket sounds here.) We have heard this line over and over and over again. As President Obama would say, “Let me be Clear.” Transparency, as defined in Webster’s dictionary, means: Able to be seen through, easy to notice or understand, not secretive, fine or sheer enough to be seen through, free from pretense or deceit, easily detected or seen through, easily understood. Do I need to go on? Come on. Really!?

Mr. Obama, I’m not going to call you a liar. I’ll just let your words speak for themselves. Just recently at a press conference, both of these lines were use in the same speech! “Our objective is clear, and that is to degrade and destroy [ISIL] so that it’s no longer a threat not just to Iraq but also the region and to the United States.” That’s pretty clear. And for further clarity, Webster’s says destroy means; to cause (something) to end or no longer exist: to cause the destruction of (something): to damage (something) so badly that it cannot be repaired.

Now, not being an English major, I can guess that the president is saying he will make it so ISIL no longer exists and will damage it so badly that it cannot be repaired. I’m in! Where do I sign up? But wait! There’s more. He goes on to say; “We can continue to shrink ISIL’s sphere of influence, effectiveness, finance, military capabilities to the point where it is a manageable problem.”

Me not being an English scholar and believing the president’s meds are balanced and that he knew of what he spoke, I had to be the one confused. Webster’s definition of manageable says: easy to control or deal with. Hmmm? If you are going to deal with or control something doesn’t it have to be in existence? And if he wants to destroy it in one breath (which means to eliminate it) and then wants to manage it in the next sentence (it would have to be in existence to manage) either his teleprompter is messed up or he is confused.

Which is it? Destroy it or manage it? He must be confused since, in his words, he said; “Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstone of this administration.” Is he hiding something from us or not?

He stated we had no plan to deal with ISIS(L). When his generals, and others on his security council, said we have a plan and are waiting on the White House to act, the White House quickly came out and stated what the president really meant was, they were “fine tuning”, “looking at all options”, “hadn’t decided on one.” Transparency, easy to understand, easy to see through, easily detected, easily understood. I’m sorry, but none of this is “easily detected, understood or seen through” aka “transparent.” It’s all pretty hazy if you ask me.

Now, people involved in the Benghazi debacle have come forward stating that orders were in fact given to stand down. Four men who were part of the rescue team who were there to protect the embassy all swear that orders were given to stand down! The White House seems to be in the ever-proverbial cover-thy-butt mode. Why aren’t there any military personnel who can corroborate that the White House gave orders to go early enough to make a difference? One side has all kinds of witnesses. The other side has two. Just Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton. Neither has any credibility at this point. Transparency: easy to notice or understand, not secretive, free from pretense or deceit, easily detected or seen through, easily understood. Epic fail!

When Mr. Obama’s administration started moving illegal immigrants that rushed our borders to various communities he only informed the Democrats in those areas. That doesn’t sound very transparent to me. And now he refuses to tell Congress where those kids have been located. HELLO! This is not a dictatorship Mr. Obama! This isn’t the mafia and you don’t get to be Don Obama for a day. You have no right to hide this information from the American people. Transparency: easy to notice or understand, not secretive, free from pretense or deceit, easily detected or seen through, easily understood. Fail, AGAIN!

BTW – We will be spending over $160 thousand per illegal minor. We don’t spend that much on each American citizen child. “Transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstone of this administration.” Is he confused, a liar, or a deceiver?

The White house has received over 40 letters from major news sources asking the White House to be more transparent by allowing the press into events at the White House again. I say “again” because the press has been removed from many of the events and functions they were always permitted to go to. They are now given selected pictures and content to print chosen by the White House. Transparency: easy to understand, easy to see through, easily detected, easily understood. Another Obama FAIL!

There have been more lawsuits filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) rules, not just requests, but actual lawsuits, because this administration has responded less than all other administrations combined.

Just a couple of quick ones and the sources:

Obama admin thwarting release of public data under FOIA, lawsuit charges: “The civic watchdog group Cause of Action on Monday sued the Obama administration, claiming that presidential attorneys have interfered improperly in the release of public documents under the landmark FOIA law in an effort to curb the release of derogatory information about the White House. The lawsuit … names 12 federal agencies that the group says slowed the release of documents so officials could consult with White House attorneys under a review process established in spring 2009. FOIA analysts say this practice never occurred in prior administrations.” (The Washington Times)

Administration won’t reveal records on health website security: “[T]he Obama administration has concluded it will not publicly disclose federal records that could shed light on the security of the government’s health care website because doing so could ‘potentially’ allow hackers to break in. … The AP is asking the government to reconsider. Obama instructed federal agencies in 2009 to not keep information confidential ‘merely because public officials might be embarrassed by disclosure, because errors and failures might be revealed, or because of speculative or abstract fears.’ Yet the government, in its denial of the AP request, speculates that disclosing the records could possibly, but not assuredly or even probably, give hackers the keys they need to intrude.” (Associated Press)

And the New York Times, always known for being such a conservative publication, states: …..

Yes, Heil Putin! Get used to it. Who’s going to stop him? Comrade Vlad came out this week and basically said Russia has nuclear weapons so we will do what we want, where we want, and your mouse of a president will do nothing. Remember that little slip last year when President Obama told then-President Medvedev to tell Vlad he will be more flexible after the election? He must have meant flexibility to back off supporting our allies and do nothing.

Supreme Leader Vladimir Putin shows the kind of resolve and strength America should be showing, with one minor difference, we would not be doing it for world domination but for world peace. The over-educated progressive Left doesn’t believe in the 21st century that countries still do this! Countries don’t go take over other countries by force. They don’t topple governments by force. But Vlad said early on, it wasn’t them, it was the “Rebels.” You know, the Russian-paid, Russian-trained, Russian transplants, that were, dare I say it, Russian soldiers AKA the “Rebels”. Why would he lie? They are a civilized country! Right?

Secretary Kerry was even stunned when he heard, as he was giving a speech overseas, that Russia was invading Crimea and said, “That just doesn’t happen in this century.” Was he channeling Bagdad Bob? Really? It was, and still is, happening Mr. Kerry. Are you willing to admit it?

At first I was thinking that our military had fallen down on the job or that our intelligence teams were so bad that they weren’t supplying this information, but given the recent day’s events where retired and active military Generals have said, we knew, we briefed, we have a plan but the White house refuses to act says volumes.

Why would the activist-and-cheat sitting in the White House acting as our leader not have known this? Does his cell phone not work on the golf course?

President Obama said this week that it’s not America’s problem! HUH? Germany wasn’t America’s problem either. Let that one sink in! As Hitler marched across Europe and we were being asked for help, also under a Democrat president, we were told we needed to stay out of it. We were sitting here full, dumb and happy, that is, until it crossed “over here” when they launched the greatest attack on American soil in history at that time. The Japanese pretty much wiped out our Pacific fleet. Thanks again to a few disobedient officers we had just enough ships left to stand up and fight. Yup, let’s stay out of it. That’s always worked well for us.

Most of you know today as Labor Day. What exactly is Labor Day? Sounds like a day to celebrate work, but it isn’t. Maybe it’s a day where we celebrate the ability for women to give birth? Nope, not that either.

Labor Day isn’t just a day off with pay. And it’s not BBQ at the beach or a celebration of the end of summer.

Actually, it’s a day for us to celebrate workers. But who really loves to work? Wouldn’t most people love to have enough money not to have to work? So, why do we celebrate the American worker?

Originally, Labor Day was an olive branch extended by President Grover Cleveland after he sent American troops in to stop the railroad workers strike and 12 workers were killed in the process. He gave them a day off (with pay?) to let things settle down. Cleveland’s olive branch withered and the celebration died away.

I appreciate the sacrifices that the American worker has made over the years to feed their families, buy homes and cars, provide their children’s education, and make a good life. But isn’t that what the American Dream is all about?

In the early days of America we had many shameful moments. Workers were taken advantage of. Working 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, being replaced permanently if they were out sick a day or two, and even plant workers being beaten for not working hard enough. Barbaric!

But that was then. America has come a long way. I’ll even give the unions credit for helping to make working conditions fair and give workers some protections. But somewhere along the way, like with any big corporation that disconnects from its people, they went bad. Yes, bad.

Workers’ salaries shouldn’t be based on what the company makes, it should be based on a fair days wage for a good days work. In most cases, the worker doesn’t lose his investments, 20 years of sweat, his home and cars if the company goes out of business. Business entrepreneurs very often do! Workers can usually get a job in the same industry. There is no real risk being an employee.

The owner of the company usually puts up his house, his name, his reputation, and all his assets to borrow money to start the company up and running. It’s the entrepreneur that comes up with the idea, figures out how to produce it, figures out how to bring it to market, and figures out how to make a profit on it so he can hire the laborer. Then the laborer can show up, do his job, feed his family, afford a house, and so on. Once in a while, one of those workers rises up, figures out how to do it better, starts their own company, and becomes an entrepreneur. That’s the real American dream… freedom to make money to live comfortably after hard work and ingenuity! Sadly, that’s also what the unions seem to hate the most, entrepreneurs.
It’s unclear who the brainchild behind Labor Day was. Many credit Labor Day to Peter J. McGuire, cofounder of the American Federation of Labor. Others have suggested that Matthew Maguire, a secretary of the Central Labor Union, first proposed the holiday. Either way, it was union officials making a big deal out of union workers.

Left-leaning news sources have been screaming about the death toll of children in the Middle East and all the kids that Israelis have killed. For them, collateral damage is unacceptable in any way.

Even though the Jews have emailed, mailed, dropped leaflets, called, and used loudspeakers in advance of planned attacks to warn the Palestinian people that rockets are coming and they are bombing building A or B, the Palestinians choose to stay and die in the bombings with their children. Kids are carried out, their lifeless bodies are a tragic scene, and it’s unacceptable.

But what is truly unacceptable is the fact that Palestinian parents who have been warned repeatedly in advance are ignoring the warning. Why aren’t they getting those kids out of there at any cost? You know, like the South America parents sending their kids for miles and miles alone on top of trains through dangerous areas to get their kids to the United States? Do those parents just love their kids more? You decide.

I posted pictures on Facebook (after I stopped throwing up!) People were outraged. Some said they were doctored or were inappropriate to post. These pictures were of little kids lined up on the ground with their heads removed from their bodies and placed next to them. Some bodies were cut in half. Some pictures showed the necks of these kids (babies) being sliced with what looked to be a steak knife and drained into a bucket. The outrage was deafening! Not really. I thought I had gone deaf because I heard nothing! Where is the outrage about that?!

There seems to be a common thread to reporting on violence by the mainstream media. They only show what they want you to see to get you on their side. If someone like myself shows the REAL violence, the REAL pictures, the REAL savagery of what’s taking place over there, its inappropriate. Are you serious?

The cries for Israel to stop bombing innocent children in Palestine is on practically every news channel, every minute of the day. Think about it, these are cries for Israel to stop defending itself because Palestinian kids were dying accidentally (or not so accidentally for those parents who chose to remain in an area they were warned would be bombed).

Yet those same Americans are crying to allow those kids who crossed our border illegally to remain in the United States simply because they traveled up from their crime and drug-infested cities for a better and safer life. Supposedly, we had to let them stay because if we sent them back they would surely die.

But we can stand by and watch Christian kids being butchered in the Middle East in the name of a Muslim god and do nothing about it? That doesn’t even make any sense!

No, that’s not Maureen & her daughter. It’s the official 1st Lady portrait.

The Bob & Maureen McDonnell corruption trial is not proving to be the unmitigated disaster for the McDonnell family that I first assumed. As the trial continues Maureen is looking more and more like her official portrait, currently on display at the Richmond Salvation Army Store.

She can’t do anything about the age difference — the youngster in Maureen’s “First Lady” portrait appears to be graduating from college next fall — but the size differential is rapidly closing. There’s nothing like the Federal Corruption Trial Diet to help remove those unwanted pounds that appear barnacle–like over the years.

A few more weeks in the courthouse and Maureen will be down to her fighting weight, which may come in handy if she’s sentenced to hard time.

The McDonnell saga, which in many ways represents the typical I–won–the–lottery–and–blew–it–all story has been invaluable for those who write. If you’re interested in brushing up on the whole story here are the relevant columns:

Politicians and their lack of will power when it comes to gifts are here.

The McDonnell family’s descent into a life of dependency in the governor’s mansion is here.

The prosecution has now rested its case and regardless of whether or not McDonnell is guilty, the picture painted of the family is only flattering if you compare them to the Kardashians.

Trial testimony left out the thousands of dollars it cost when the McDonnell kids raided the mansion’s pantry to take food to college. (That was only tax dollars and everyone knows those are free.) Instead the trial focused on what Jonnie R. Williams showered on the governor. There is the $20,000 shopping tab Maureen ran up on her New York City shopping trip that was chaperoned by Williams. His unintentionally funny description of the outing into Women’s Territory warmed the heart of every husband who’s sat bored on a mall bench outside a clothing store as the women shopped and the credit card smoked: “It went on for hours.”

Then there is the brand new set of golf clubs, golf bag with the UVA logo and golf shoes given to Bobby McDonnell who thought the give was “excessive” but not so excessive that he sent it back. In fact he and his father and brother played multiple rounds of golf and charged hundreds of dollars in green fees, caddy fees, food and golf accessory purchases to Williams during 2011 and 2012.

There’s even a rumor they tried to flag down Marine One and invite Obama to join the threesome.

The haul from the Jonnie Williams ATM was so extensive the WaPost designed an excellent graphic that shows whom got what that you can find here. Weddings were profit centers, the family was showered with plane tickets, a trip to Cape Cod, the Final Four (ironic that, because McDonnell’s governor term was the final four years of his political career), Florida, another golf bag, flights on private planes, a watercolor and a turkey dinner (wait, sorry, that was Ken Cuccinelli’s thanksgiving gratuity from Williams). And since the McDonnells were good conservatives they would NEVER stoop to taking an Obamaphone, but they did pocket two Williams’ iPhones.

The mental image one has after reading the list is of the Beverly Hillbillies living it up in their new California mansion, but that’s completely unfair to the Clampetts, because they were using their own money.

Now that the prosecution’s story of Rent–A–Politician has concluded, the defense strategy is two–fold. First Maureen is a maniac who had hot pants for Williams and hid everything from her husband. She was the mastermind behind the plot to trade official support for Williams’ patent medicine product, Anatabloc, in return for Williams making the McDonnells his foster children.

My favorite story involving Maureen is from the WaPost and it concerns her efforts to sell Mitt Romney on the diet supplement during a trip to South Carolina. Now I’ve seen Mitt’s legs and they are about the size of a pipe cleaner, so Maureen’s instincts were good. Mitt could use some bulking up.

Staffers sensing a disaster put a stop to that plan, but they couldn’t intercept Mrs. McDonnell before she cornered Ann Romney on the campaign bus, where Maureen’s pre–trial bulk made it impossible for Mrs. Romney to escape.

Exhibiting her usual tact and concern for the feelings of others, Maureen blurted to Ann that Williams’ Anatablock was so great it could “potentially cure MS.” Ann Romney —who no doubt had a few choice words for the advance staff after the event — has multiple sclerosis, so the sales pitch was vulgar, insensitive and fit Maureen as snugly as one of Williams’ free designer dresses.

Or as McDonnell political advisor Phil Cox said on the stand, “I was horrified. I thought it was a train wreck.”

Bob’s defense is different. He’s not crazy, but he may be the biggest ingrate in Commonwealth history. Big Watch Bob’s story is reciprocation is not a word in his vocabulary. He accepted $120,000.00 in no–doc loans to shore up his failing real estate investments, wore the Rolex, presided over the acceptance of the other thousands of dollars in booty and did absolutely NOTHING in return for Williams.

He just sent all William’s calls to voice mail where they died a lingering death. It would have made more sense for Williams to forget the McDonnells and hire a lobbyist, but come to think of it 120K probably wouldn’t be enough to hire a Hamas spokesman.

As far as strategies go this is a variation of the Viet Nam defense: We destroyed the reputation in order to save it.

And just to make sure there was no doubt as to McDonnell’s ingratitude the WaPost writes, “In the afternoon, defense attorneys presented a parade of former McDonnell cabinet secretaries to testify to all the things McDonnell could have done to assist Williams and his company. In turn, each witness agreed that McDonnell never took those actions.”

In other words don’t loan Bob your lawnmower with the expectation that you can borrow his rake later.

I can see the fun couple’s social life drying up the longer the trial continues. Who wants to host a couple that will never return the favor and might ask you to take them to the mall before they leave?

Ingratitude as a get–out–of–jail strategy can’t be helping fund raising for McDonnell’s legal defense. (Lawyers are something else for which McDonnell doesn’t deign to pay.) If a signature loan for 120K doesn’t warm the cockles of Bob’s heart when he’s facing foreclosure, what is your measly 5K for lawyers going to achieve?

Let me start by saying, I understand that there is a physical war In the Middle East on Jews. But what I am dealing with here is the on-going war in this country on Christians.

You separation-of-church-and-state people seem to be very silent on favors provided to other religions, yet start foaming at the mouth when the words “cross,” “Bible,” “Christ,“or any scriptures are used.

A few weeks ago, the Freedom from Religion Freaks (aka: Freedom from Religion Foundation – FFRF) lost a lawsuit they filed against the 9/11 Memorial Museum. They claimed that displaying the cross that was left at the bottom of the rubble (not manmade) that served as a symbol of hope to the first responders, Jews, Christians, Atheists and others during that tragedy was a clear violation of the separation of church and state. Once again, they were wrong.

The courts sided with the American people and said that not only was it a symbol of hope, but it was part of our national heritage and history. They said, “[Given] the absence of any evidence of ulterior religious motives, and the undisputed historical significance of The Cross at Ground Zero, we conclude that, as a matter of law, the record compels the conclusion that the actual purpose of displaying the cross in the September 11 Museum is a genuine secular interest in recounting the history of extraordinary events.”. One of the arguments from the atheist group was that the cross caused “dyspepsia” to some of the plaintiffs who had to walk by it. My thought! Take some Pepto-Bismol. The “ailment” equates to an upset stomach.

Then there was the attempt to remove Bibles from U.S. Navy lodges around the globe. The group claimed that offering Bibles to guests constituted an endorsement of a religion so they needed to be removed. I’ve never heard of anyone walking up and down the lodge halls screaming, “Get your Bibles here, brand new never opened, get ‘em while there free.” Nope, not one complaint about Bibles being pushed on anyone. They’re in a drawer in each room given free of charge by the Gideon’s. The people complaining are not being honest. If it was an issue of religious freedom, then let’s put the Bible, Quran, Torah, dictionary, or whatever religious text we can get our hands on in those drawers and let them chose what to read or not read. Nope. They only complained that the Bible needed to go. Navy brass came to their senses and backed down because of the outcry of the many as opposed to doing what a very few loud mouths wanted.

In a small town in Georgia, the atheist group threatened to file suit against a school because the kids were praying before football games. They said they had received “a” complaint from a single, unnamed parent. The atheist group was not from the community. They didn’t know who they were playing with. Remember, we are supposed to have a representative government, not a government of the smallest and loudest. Well, these people got a taste of southern law. Over 200 people showed up to support the teams in prayer. And they prayed before the game. No one exploded. No one went into convulsions. And no lighting struck any one of them. All was well in that little Georgia town. The atheists are all legalled-up and ready for battle. Why? Why does something that supposedly doesn’t exist make them so crazy? Why can’t they respect the wishes of the masses instead of the wishes of a few?

So as soon as you pick yourself up off the floor, read the rest and I am sure I will make you mad all over again.

This fight between Israel and Hamas is Israel’s fault and I’ll tell you why. If you’re not interested in what I have to say or you believe I am full of “malarkey” or you just don’t want to think that deep, simply move on to another article.

The aggravation between these two groups has been going on for years, but this is the longest the fighting has persisted since the last extended conflict which lasted about 22 days.

Israel has the intelligence and the manpower to eradicate Hamas. Some of you complaining about Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians are a little confused. You see, when the Palestinians were given more land and “the strip,” the Israelis left behind schools, clinics, gardens, greenhouses, and much for them to sustain themselves and have a better life. Palestinian militants were forbidden from receiving anything from the “Zionists,” so they destroyed most of the facilities Israel left behind.

Money sent over to the coalition government in order for them to build facilities to help their communities has been stolen by Hamas to buy weapons, bombs, and build tunnels. (Maybe there is some educational value to this? Maybe they are teaching the kids about architecture and construction? Who knows!)

Why isn’t there an outcry about this?

Imagine Hamas tying children all around one of their soldiers then going through a Jewish village randomly killing Jews and shouting “you can’t shoot at me because you might hit one of these kids.” Jews are persecuted because, in an attempt to save the lives of villagers, they accidently killed one of the children when they took out a Hamas terrorist.

That’s what’s happening now. They are firing rockets from inside school grounds, mosques, and hospital facilities and the expectation is that Israel shouldn’t shoot back because they might hit the kids! How about Hamas shouldn’t fire first from areas where kids and the infirm can be killed? How about Hamas stop shelling Israel?

As for the Palestinians, where are they in all of this? Why aren’t they protecting their people? Why is it they don’t control their crazies?

Their kids are being killed because of the actions of Hamas. We praise South Americans as heroes for sending their kids alone to the American border facing all kinds of peril. Yet we say nothing about the Palestinians that are allowing Hamas to cause the death of their kids without any resistance!